May 1: Parker Millsap

Oklahoma singer-songwriter Parker Millsap has quickly made a name for himself with his captivating live performances, soulful sound and character-driven songwriting. He performs a sold-out concert 7 p.m. May 1 at ACM@UCO Performance Lab, 329 E. Sheridan Ave., in Oklahoma City.

The events are part of the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma’s continuing Metro Music Series celebrating the school’s 10th anniversary.

ACM@UCO’s Metro Music Series is sponsored by Oklahoma Gazette, Exchange Music, KOSU Radio, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, and the Oklahoma Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Oklahoma and the National Endowment for the Arts’ Art Works initiative.

Victor Wooten is the five-time Grammy Award-winning bassist widely known as a founding member of the supergroup Béla Fleck & The Flecktones. He also tours with The Victor Wooten Band.

The Victor Wooten Band and The Wooten Woods Experience performs 7 p.m. April 24 at ACM@UCO Performance Lab, 329 E. Sheridan Ave., in Bricktown. Tickets are $32, available at acm-uco.eventbrite.com.

The same day, Wooten leads a masterclass at noon April 24 in the Songwriting Room (first floor) on the ACM@UCO campus, 25 S. Oklahoma Ave., in Bricktown. Entry is limited to UCO students, staff and faculty, as well ticketholders to that night’s concert. Seating for the masterclass is limited and is first-come-first-served.

Named one of the Top 10 Bassists of All Time by Rolling Stone, he has been voted Bassist of the Year three times in Bass Player magazine’s long-running online poll. In February 2017, Huffington Post named him one of 50 Iconic Black Trailblazers, pictured just after President Barack Obama.

Wooten’s respected reputation as a teacher and speaker and lecturer about both music and nature have garnered invitations for him to speak and teach at schools, universities, classes and spiritual centers around the world.

Known for its funky, jazzy music and powerful unpredictable performances, The Victor Wooten Band, comprised of brothers Regi and Joseph Wooten on guitars and keyboards and Derico Watson on drums, will play a dynamic mixture of old and new music mixed with improvisations jams and classic cover songs.

In addition, fellow musicians and educators Steve Bailey, Bob Franceschini, Bob Hemenger and a select group of students from Victor Wooten’s Center for Music and Nature will add to the extravaganza. For the first time ever, Wooten and friends will include an audience participation demonstration of the educational program that has helped and inspired hundreds of people worldwide.

As the youngest of five brothers, Victor began playing music at the tender age of 2. Under the tutelage of his older brother Regi, Victor was playing gigs and touring with the family band by age 5. The Wooten Brothers performed with the likes of Curtis Mayfield, War and the Temptations, among others.

Rolling Stone magazine lauded Victor Wooten, a founding member of the supergroup Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, by noting, “every player in the Flecktones is a master, but when Wooten busts out a solo at a concert every jaw in the audience drops to the ground.”

Oklahoma native Parker Millsap has quickly made a name for himself with his captivating live performances, soulful sound and character-driven songwriting. He performs 7 p.m. May 1 at ACM@UCO Performance Lab, 329 E. Sheridan Ave., in Oklahoma City.

The event is part of the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma’s (ACM@UCO) continuing Metro Music Series celebrating the school’s 10th anniversary.

Millsap has had a string of highlights in recent years: A network television debut on “Conan,” a performance with Elton John at Apple Music Festival in London, an Austin City Limits taping and an Album of the Year nomination from the Americana Music Association. He has also received praise from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, LA Times, The Austin Chronicle and Rolling Stone to name a few.

He first picked up an acoustic guitar at age 9, then plugged in and went electric after getting into Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Millsap eventually started a cover band with classmate Michael Rose, who still plays bass with him today. Over the years, he recruited musicians Daniel Foulks (fiddle) and Andrew Bones (drums) to join his band.

Parker’s first three full-length releases — 2012’s “Palisade,” 2014’s self-titled LP and 2016’s “The Very Last Day” — showcased a primal mastery of acoustic folk rock, with their flourish for revelation and fiery dynamics all recorded with extreme precision, purpose and efficiency.

ACM@UCO’s Metro Music Series is sponsored by Oklahoma Gazette, Exchange Music, KOSU Radio, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, and the Oklahoma Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Oklahoma and the National Endowment for the Arts’ Art Works initiative.

Longtime Oklahoma musician JD McPherson hosted a masterclass Oct. 26, 2018, to a capacity audience at ACM@UCO Performance Lab in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The third-annual Music Networking and Mentoring Event was made possible by a partnership with The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Metro Music Series and the Oklahoma Film + Music Office.

About ACM@UCO Metro Music Series

The 2018-2019 school year marks ACM@UCO’s tenth anniversary. To celebrate, it expanded its long-running Metro Music Festival into a yearlong event. The revamped Metro Music Series includes the High Noon Showcase, presenting free shows by ACM@UCO-tied music acts and tastemakers; its ACM@UCO Performance Lab series by regional and national touring acts; and a growing roster of masterclasses, clinics and workshops with industry leaders, many of which are open to students and the public.

In October, musician and singer-songwriter JD McPherson led an ACM@UCO masterclass at the school’s Bricktown campus with Scott Booker, ACM executive director, in conjunction with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office as part of the ACM@UCO Metro Music Series.

He takes his critically acclaimed new holiday album, Socks, on tour and performs Dec. 14 at Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City.

From NPR’s Fresh Air: A Roots And Rockabilly Holiday Concert With JD McPherson And His Band

JD McPherson never thought he’d make a Christmas album. Then, he says, “I got a bug in my ear.” He and his band perform live in studio from Socks, and McPherson talks about growing up on a cattle farm.

From the Los Angeles Times: This year’s essential Christmas albums ranked, from ‘Shatner Claus’ to the irresistible JD McPherson

Rating: Four stars (classic)

The roots-rocking singer-songwriter from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, has put together the kind of holiday album that Louis Prima or Roy Brown would have if they’d ever gotten around to it, and thank Santa for that. It’s an utter joy, a vintage jump-blues/R&B/rockabilly workout devoid of treacly sentiment, but brimming over with child-like spirit — and just enough grown-up skepticism (“Bad Kid,” the title track) to keep things anchored in reality.

He’s written or co-written 11 originals that bring welcome fresh blood into the holiday music canon. Producing the album themselves, he and the band also zero in on a perfectly period musical and sonic vibe for this outing.

From Oklahoma Gazette: ‘Socks’ rocks

McPherson said recording a Christmas album inspired him to return to the ’50s style that characterized his debut album, Signs & Signifiers.

“The language or the vocabulary of early rock ’n’ roll lends itself to that type of material,” McPherson said. “It just works better. We could’ve done a psych-rock Christmas album, but I don’t really think I would’ve wanted to listen to it afterwards.”

Along the way, he’s pitch-perfectly backed by his four-piece band of Jimmy Sutton on bass, Raynier Jacob Jacildo on keys, Jason Smay on drums, and Doug Corcoran on saxophone, steel guitar and glockenspiel.

Ahead of his Nov. 26 concert in Oklahoma City, longtime musician, actor and actor Steven Van Zandt joins Scott Booker, executive director of the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO) for a Q&A-style interview and masterclass. The event is 2 p.m. Nov. 26 in ACM@UCO’s Songwriting Room (first floor), 25 S. Oklahoma Ave. in Bricktown.

The event is part of the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma’s (ACM@UCO) continuing Metro Music Series celebrating the school’s 10th anniversary.

Steven Van Zandt / Photo courtesy Big Hassle Media

During the masterclass, Van Zandt will discuss his history past and current projects. ACM@UCO CEO and Executive Director Scott Booker will lead the discussion, which is free and open to the public.

Van Zandt’s accomplishments are many. He is a musician, performer, songwriter, arranger, music producer, music supervisor, TV producer, actor, director, Broadway producer, TV and film composer, live event producer, international DJ, activist, historian, teacher and member of the New Jersey and Rock and Roll halls of fame. He is also recognized internationally as one of the world’s foremost authorities on both contemporary and traditional rock ’n’ roll.

“I’m thrilled that Steven Van Zandt is joining ACM@UCO for this masterclass,” said ACM@UCO CEO and Executive Director Scott Booker. “His career spans decades, generations and even mediums — recording, touring, acting, filmmaking, philanthropy and activism. He also embodies our school’s mission to educate and encourage entrepreneurial vitality throughout the music business.

“I expect this to be an extremely informative and entertaining masterclass,” Booker continued. “If I had it my way, we’d convince him to stay and he’d be here every day.”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band album “Born in the U.S.A.”

After helping create the “Jersey Shore” sound with the band Asbury Jukes, he became a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band (and co-produced seminal Springsteen/E Street Band albums “The River” and “Born in the U.S.A.”). He has gone on to become a successful solo artist in his own right, recording and performing solo with his band Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul.

Last year, Van Zandt released “Soulfire,” his first new album in more than 15 years — returning to his rhythm and blues roots. Rolling Stone magazine named the project one of its “Best Albums of 2017.” In April, he released a three-disc CD box set, “Soulfire Live!,” with a 7-inch vinyl box set and two-disc Blu-Ray to be released this fall.

A longtime activist, Van Zandt has twice been honored by the United Nations for his political activism, including the “Sun City” project and film, and his involvement in “International Peace Day” along with Peter Gabriel. He also established the Solidarity Foundation to promote the sovereignty of indigenous peoples and to foster economic development in harmony with the earth.

Steven Van Zandt / Photo courtesy Heidi Gutman

Many also recognize him from his seven-season co-starring role on the “Sopranos,” as well as his work starring in, cowriting, executive producing and supervising the music for “Lilyhammer,” the first original programming to stream on Netflix.

In 2001, he launched “Little Steven’s Underground Garage,” his internationally syndicated radio show, often called the most successful syndicated rock music radio show in the past 40 years. He also created and produces the first two channels of original content on SiriusXM Satellite Radio, the Underground Garage (Channel 21) and Outlaw Country (Channel 60).

Little Steven and the Disciples of Tour are back on the road this fall with their Soulfire Teacher Solidarity Tour. The landmark live tour benefits The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation’s TeachRock program and has reached the incredible goal of registering over 10,000 teachers (and counting) to use the TeachRock music history curriculum. Founded by Van Zandt, the foundation creates education materials using the history of popular music to create engaging, multicultural lesson plans for history, social studies, language arts, music and science classrooms, all of which are available to educators at no cost.

He joins the ACM@UCO masterclass before his scheduled 8 p.m. Nov. 26 concert at Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City. Learn more about tickets and that show at towertheatreokc.com.

ACM@UCO’s Metro Music Series is sponsored by Oklahoma Gazette, Exchange Music, KOSU Radio, ArtWorks, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Check in with ACM@UCO at facebook.com/acm.uco and acm-uco.eventbrite.com as we announce additional Metro Music Series shows, events and surprises through the year.

About ACM@UCO Metro Music Series

The 2018-2019 school year marks ACM@UCO’s tenth anniversary. To celebrate, it expanded its long-running Metro Music Festival into a yearlong event. The revamped Metro Music Series includes the High Noon Showcase, presenting free shows by ACM@UCO-tied music acts and tastemakers; its ACM@UCO Performance Lab series by regional and national touring acts; and a growing roster of masterclasses, clinics and workshops with industry leaders, many of which are open to students and the public.

Stay tuned to the Performance Lab at facebook.com/acmucoperformancelab and ACM@UCO @acmuco for updates and announcements about even more concerts and events!

The event is part of the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma’s (ACM@UCO) continuing Metro Music Series celebrating the school’s 10th anniversary.

Matsson is often compared to Bob Dylan, both in ability and vocal style, and admits that he’s long been inspired by American folk artists like Dylan, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. That said, he’s no folk traditionalist. The classically trained guitarist, inspired by English guitarist and singer-songwriter Nick Drake, has developed an intricate playing style using various open tunings.

His 2019 tour comes on the heels of three months of touring — both overseas and stateside — selling out nearly three-fourths of his dates on a trek spanning from Germany to the Netherlands and Massachusetts to California.

His most recent project is the five-part series “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground.” Each song is a new, original studio recording that includes the simultaneous release of an accompanying video directed by Matsson. The ongoing project is produced as the series progresses through winter 2018 in Sweden and the U.S., with Matsson splitting his time behind the microphone and camera.

Beginning March 9, he’ll release a song and video every month. Solo shows in support of “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” are planned in select cities worldwide, including the April 27 performance at ACM@UCO Performance Lab in Bricktown.

“It’s like receiving a video message from a friend who wants you to see his process unfold in real time, the more ragged the better,” NPR Music editor and reviewer Stephen Thomson said of the project. “Of course, for all his stated love of imperfections, Matsson’s actual performance is a thing of refined and impeccable beauty.”

While here, he’ll also participate in a free, public Q&A-style masterclass discussion with ACM@UCO executive director Scott Booker. Details on that event will be announced closer to the event date.

ACM@UCO’s Metro Music Series is sponsored by Oklahoma Gazette, Exchange Music, KOSU Radio, ArtWorks, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Oklahoma Arts Council.

ACM@UCO Metro Music Series

The 2018-2019 school year marks ACM@UCO’s tenth anniversary. To celebrate, it expanded its long-running Metro Music Festival into a yearlong event. The revamped Metro Music Series includes the High Noon Showcase, presenting free shows by ACM@UCO-tied music acts and tastemakers; its ACM@UCO Performance Lab series by regional and national touring acts; and a growing roster of masterclasses, clinics and workshops with industry leaders, many of which are open to students and the public.

Stay tuned for updates and announcements about even more concerts and events!

The Artist+Management Partnerships Music Networking and Mentoring Event is partnership with Oklahoma Film + Music Office and the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO). This event will be formatted in a masterclass-type setting.

Gary Numan, a pioneer of electronic music, presses pause on his 2018 tour for a rare, in-person masterclass 1 p.m. Sept. 10 in the Songwriting Room at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO), 25 S. Oklahoma Ave., in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown district.

During the masterclass, Numan will discuss his influential past, current work and the world’s post-global future. ACM@UCO CEO and Executive Director Scott Booker will lead the masterclass, which is free and open to the public.

“Electronic music wouldn’t be as omnipresent in our culture without pioneers like Gary Numan,” Booker said. “’Cars’ shaped the way musicians used electronic instruments in popular music and became part of our collective cultural unconscious.”

His 22nd album, Savage (Songs From a Broken World), was released in late 2017 via the music company BMG, entering Official U.K. Album Charts at No. 2. He has charted nearly two dozen U.K. Top 40 singles and albums. Additionally, his work has inspired and influenced a generation of musicians, from Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Marilyn Manson to Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and Jack White (The White Stripes, The Dead Weather).

Fans also recognize his music in shows like Mindhunter, Halt and Catch Fire, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Pretty Little Liars and Nip/Tuck; films such as Ghost in the Shell, The Muppets and From Inside; and a current TV ad campaign for Walmart’s new grocery pick-up service.

“ACM@UCO is lucky to once again bring a living legend to talk about their story with our students and friends,” Booker added.

Friday, March 9, 2 p.m. ACM@UCO Songwriting Room. Free and open to the public.

Grammy-winning musician, author and social activist Judy Collins will visit ACM@UCO for a Masterclass in partnership with CityRep. Collins has released over 50 albums since 1961 including interpretations of works by Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. Her most recent album, “Everybody Knows,” is a collaboration with Stephen Stills and was released September 2017.

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